The Presidential Inauguration Leadership Summit was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness history and a play a role in the future. Summit Delegates attended the historic 58th Presidential Inauguration on the National Mall, were inspired by world-renowned speakers, participated in events that solidified their path to becoming a future leader, and connected with like-minded, high-aspiring students.

High School Summit Speakers

Few, if any, people in history can match General Powell’s resume and leadership experience. With over 50 years of public service, General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.) has held senior military and diplomatic positions across four presidential administrations, serving as National Security Advisor under Ronald Reagan, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for both George H.W. Bush and for Bill Clinton, and secretary of State under George W. Bush.

During his time as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Powell oversaw 28 crises to include the Panama intervention of 1989 and Operation Desert Storm. As secretary of State, he led the State Department in major efforts to address and solve regional and civil conflicts and to advance economic and social development worldwide.

In addition to his wealth of knowledge and experience with military strategy and geopolitical issues, General Powell currently serves on several boards, including Bloom Energy, Salesforce.com, Leeds Equity Partners, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Smithsonian Institute’s African American Museum of History and Culture. He is chair of the board of visitors of the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York and chairman of the Eisenhower Fellowships, a cross-cultural program for emerging international leaders. General Powell is also a NY Times best-selling author, world-class educator about life and leadership, father of three, and a highly acclaimed inspirational public speaker -- making him possibly, by our standards, the most interesting man in the world.

Spike Lee is an award-winning writer, director, actor, producer, author & influencer. Widely regarded as a premiere African-American filmmaker, Lee is a forerunner in the “do it yourself” school of independent film and the founder of 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, a production company that has produced over 35 films.

The outspoken filmmaker has never shied away from sharing his opinions, whether controversial or widely accepted. Lee’s films have showcased his ability to tackle provocative socio-political critiques that challenge cultural assumptions, not only about race, but class and gender identity as well.

Lee’s work has been nominated for four Academy Awards and four Emmys, of which he has won three. He has also received a Peabody Award, an Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement, and his film, She’s Gotta Have It, earned him the Prix de Jeunesse Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Governor O’Malley is a former 2016 presidential candidate with nearly 25 years of experience in state and local government. Prior to his two terms as governor of Maryland, he served the city of Baltimore as councilman from 1991 until 1999 and mayor from 1999 until 2007.

During his time in office, Governor O’Malley passed major political milestones that impacted the economy, education, the environment and many social causes. As mayor, his policies helped the people of Baltimore achieve the greatest crime reduction of one of America’s largest cities. As governor, he led the fight to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay, to reduce greenhouse gas, to protect the dignity of every child’s home, and to ensure equal rights under the law for all Marylanders.

Governor O’Malley is a charismatic speaker who inspires and empowers next generation leaders to make an impact in their future and their world.

Carly Fiorina is a tested leader in the technology industry and conservative movement. Carly famously started as a secretary in a 9-person real estate firm before joining AT&T in an entry-level sales position, and then, fifteen years later, leading AT&T’s spinout of Lucent Technologies.

In 1999, Fiorina was recruited to Hewlett-Packard, where she became the first woman to lead a Fortune 50 business. In her six years as chairman and CEO, Hewlett-Packard not only survived the dot-com bust—they became the leader in every market segment and every product category and grew from the 28th to 11th largest company in the United States.

Carly has always believed in giving back to the community and has been an active participant in government and politics. In the 2016 primary, she was credited for changing the landscape of the Republican field, winning debates, and fighting for conservative principles. Fiorina’s lifetime of experience has taught her that the highest calling of leadership is to unlock the potential in others.

Abby Wambach is the all-time leading scorer in international soccer history with 184 career goals. She was the United States’ leading scorer in the 2007 and 2011 Women’s World Cup tournaments and the 2004 and 2012 Olympics. (She missed Beijing 2008 due to a broken leg.) Her ability to wear down defenses with her physical play, aerial game and hard running has long been a key to the USA’s success.

After winning the Women’s World Cup in 2015, Wambach retired as one of the most dominant players in the history of women’s soccer. A true leader on and off the field, Wambach is dedicating the next chapter of her career to fighting for equality and inclusion across industries. She is the youngest of 7 children and claims she got her toughness from her 4 older brothers. She loves coffee, cooking, music and playing golf.

Paul Begala is a commentator for CNN, where he is part of the political team that has won both an Emmy Award and a
Peabody Award. In the 2012 campaign, he was a senior adviser for the pro-Obama Super PAC, making Begala one of the
few people to play a critical role in electing two different presidents.
After helping engineer Bill Clinton's presidential campaign with his partner, James Carville, Begala served as counselor to
the President, one of Clinton's closest aides. He has consulted for political campaigns across the country and around the
world, including advising politicians in Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

Former President Bill Clinton described his longtime friend and former aide as, "a witty dynamo from Sugar Land,
Texas...who brought energy, focus and credibility to our efforts." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Begala,
"embodies a passion for populism with a commitment to civility, no easy feat."

And radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has said of Begala, "If you don't know who The Forehead is, Paul Begala, he's
the guy, the kid that played the banjo on the bridge in the movie Deliverance."
He helped his friend John F. Kennedy, Jr. launch the political magazine George and wrote the "Capitol Hillbilly" column,
and is the author of several New York Times best-selling political books.
Begala is an affiliated professor of Public Policy at Georgetown University. He has also taught at the University of Texas
and the University of Georgia. Along with James Carville and GOP strategist Karl Rove, he was a recently inducted into
the American Association of Political Consultants' Hall of Fame.
Begala received his bachelor's degree in Government and his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where he
was the student body president.

Tucker Carlson is a veteran journalist and political commentator. He is currently the co-host of Fox and Friends Weekend and the Editor-in-Chief of TheDailyCaller.com, one of the largest and fastest growing news sites in the country. Previously he was the co-host of Crossfire on CNN, where he was the youngest anchor in the history of that network. During the same period, Carlson also hosted a weekly public affairs program on PBS.

A longtime writer, Carlson has reported from around the world, including dispatches from Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Vietnam. He has been a columnist for New York Magazine and Reader's Digest. He currently writes for Esquire and The New York Times Magazine.

Summit Highlights

Delegations for Change

Summit Scholars heard from subject matter experts and worked together in small-group breakout delegations to generate solutions to real-world challenges that our new President and their generation will face. Delegations presented their Summit Solutions, and fifteen winning delegations received scholarships to help fund their future success.LEARN MORE

Inauguration on the National Mall

Envision Alumni witnessed history together as the 45th President of the United States took the Oath of Office, and delivered the Inaugural Address on the National Mall. Summit Scholars enjoyed exclusive early morning access (prior to the public) to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History to warm up before they joined the crowd on the Mall for the Inauguration Ceremony.

Inaugural Gala

The Washington area was abuzz with celebration and excitement at one of the DC area’s most noteworthy venues – the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center - where Summit Scholars enjoyed an evening of music, dancing, photo booths, games, and more at the exclusive Envision Impact Series’ Inaugural Gala.

To further enrich and enhance the Summit experience, Envision partnered with Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, to incorporate select high-quality content and unique programming into our already immersive, content-rich Summit.